The Rap Sheet Fall 06: Back to School - DRC NH

A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BY THE

DISABILITIES RIGHTS CENTER, INSTITUTE ON DISABILITY, AND NH COUNCIL ON DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

SUSAN COVERT, EDITOR

W e l c o m eto the Fall Back to School

Issue of the Rap Sheet.

It has been more than

30 years since the United

States Congress passed

legislation guaranteeing

that all children, including

those with disabilities,

have the right to an

education. This issue looks

at how New Hampshire

students with disabilities

are faring and highlights

the challenges that must

be addressed if we are to

fully include all children

as valued members

of their school

communities.

B A C K T O S C H O O L

The Latest in Disability Research, Advocacy, Policy, and Practice Fall Issue 2006

N e w H a m p s h i r e

PrPrPrPrPromising Promising Promising Promising Promising Pracacacacactictictictictices in Inclusive Ees in Inclusive Ees in Inclusive Ees in Inclusive Ees in Inclusive EducducducducducaaaaationtiontiontiontionCheryl M. Jorgensen, Ph.D., Project Director, Institute on Disability/UCEDAssistant Research Professor, University of New Hampshire

Jason attends a school just for students with disabilities. His educational goalsfocus on increasing his speech, using a picture exchange communication system,maintaining appropriate behavior,reading sight words, and learningsuch functional skil ls as gettingdressed and cooking. Jason is taughtusing discrete trials and when heresponds appropriately, he is rewardedwith food or tokens that can beexchanged for small trinkets. Hereceives services and supports from aspecial education teacher, speech-language pathologist, occupationaltherapist, behavior therapist, and aone-on-one paraprofessional. Jason’sparents and teachers expect that he will one day live in a group home and attenda day habilitation program with other adults who have significant disabilities.

Miranda is a 7th grader who attends middle school in her community. She partici-pates in all the same classes as her peers who do not have disabilities. Miranda’seducational goals focus on acquiring core knowledge in literacy, math, socialstudies, science, the arts, physical education, and computers – all part of herschool’s general curriculum. She also is learning functional skills that includeusing a voice-output communication device, sending emails to friends, budgetingfor personal expenses, and shopping with friends at the mall. Like Jason, Mirandareceives specialized services and supports, but hers are provided in regular

( C o n t i n u e d o n n e x t p a g e )

This New Hampshire student is a classroom memberin a school that is participating in the Institute onDisability’s Beyond Access Program.

RAP Sheet

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general education classes and in the context of typicalactivities at her school. Miranda and her parentsenvision a future where she will go to college, travel,live in the community with friends who don’t have dis-abilities, marry, and have a job that allows her to earna living and pursue her interest in health and fitness.

Both Jason and Miranda experience autism. Accord-ing to their school records, their adaptive skills are“low,” they have similar scores on measures of intel-lectual functioning, they do not speak to communicate,and they have difficulty managing sensory input, theiremotions, and their behavior. Which student’s educa-tional program is more “appropriate?” Which student’seducational program is based on the latest research?Which program is more likely to result in the studenthaving a high quality of life while they are in school andin the future? How do parents and educators decide?

Making decisions about the educational programs forstudents with disabilities requires that families andeducators take into account their values, currentresearch, the desired vision for the student’s life, andrequirements of the special education law. In 1975,the Education of All Handicapped Children Act guar-anteed for the first time universal access to a free andappropriate public education for students withdisabilities. In the most recent reauthorizations of thatlaw (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of1997 and 2004) greater emphasis was placed on assur-ing that children with disabilities make progress withinthe general education curriculum based on learningobjectives that are, to the maximum extent appropri-ate, the same for children with disabilities as for thosewithout. The law also requires that all school districtsdisseminate and implement “promising educational practices– systems of teaching and learning that have a record of success”

The following are values- and research-based prom-ising practices for students with disabilities. Thesepractices define a quality education that is most likelyto result in students having full lives in their com-munities as adults. “Knowing” these practices is notenough. Educational teams must implement thesepractices in their daily work, collect student and team

( C o v e r s t o r y c o n t i n u e d )

performance data, reflect on the meaning of the data,and revise their practices accordingly. Success alsodepends on school districts providing adequate ad-ministrative supports and resources. (A more detaileddescription of each practice and a “how to know itwhen you see it” checklist can be found in The InclusionFacilitator’s Guide, available from http://www.iod.unh.eduor http://www.brookespublishing.com).

Presuming Competence

All students with disabilities pursue the same learneroutcomes as students without disabilities. Even whenstudents do not currently demonstrate content knowl-edge or skills, their educational programs still reflecta presumption that they can learn content knowledgeand skills from the general education curriculum.

General Education Class Membership

and Full Participation

Students with disabilities are members of age-appro-priate general education classes in their neighbor-hood schools and have access to the full range oflearning experiences and environments offered tostudents without disabilities. There are no programsor rooms just for students with disabilities.

Quality Augmentative and

Alternative Communication

Students with disabilities are provided with accurateand reliable augmentative and alternative communi-cation (AAC) supports and services that enable themto communicate both in the classroom and in socialsituations with adults and age-appropriate classmates.

Curriculum, Instruction, and Supports

Curriculum and instruction are designed to accom-modate the full range of student diversity. Individual-ized supports are provided to students with signifi-cant disabilities to enable them to fully participateand make progress within the general educationcurriculum. Students learn functional or life skillswithin typical routines in the general education class-room or by participating in other inclusive activitiesand environments.

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Family-School Partnerships

Families and schools are engaged in a partnership tocreate quality inclusive educational experiences forstudents with disabilities. Families are connected toresources for developing their own leadership andadvocacy skills.

Team Collaboration

General and special education teachers and relatedservice providers demonstrate shared responsibilityby collaborating in the design, implementation, andevaluation of students’ educational programs.

Facilitating Social Relationships

Students with disabilities are supported to participatein the same social and extracurricular activities as stu-dents without disabilities. Intentional facilitation oftheir social relationships is provided when typical re-lationships are missing, lack reciprocity, or are notsatisfying.

Self-Determination and Futures Planning

Students with disabilities are supported to advocatefor themselves and to make age-appropriate choicesabout their lives. A futures planning process is usedwith students and their families that identifiesdreams, hopes, goals, and needed supports for partici-pation in typical school and community activities andenvironments.

Professional Development

Professional development for general and specialeducation staff is linked to improved educational out-comes for students with and without disabilities.

Special and General Education Reform

Administrators provide leadership to align generaland special education reform and improvement withrespect to the creation of a community of learnersthat is inclusive of students with disabilities.

Preparation of this article was supported in part by a grant fromthe U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special EducationPrograms, #H324M020067.

SSSSSELECELECELECELECELECTED TED TED TED TED RRRRREFERENCESEFERENCESEFERENCESEFERENCESEFERENCESON PRON PRON PRON PRON PROMISING PROMISING PROMISING PROMISING PROMISING PRAAAAACCCCCTICESTICESTICESTICESTICES

Beukelman, D., & Mirenda, P. (2005). Augmentative andalternative communication (3rd Edition). Baltimore:Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.

Fisher, D. & Ryndak, D. L. (2001). The foundations ofinclusive education: A compendium of articles on effectivestrategies to achieve inclusive education. Baltimore: TASH(www.tash.org)

Jackson, L., Ryndak, D., & Billingsley, F. (2000). Usefulpractices in inclusive education: A preliminary viewof what experts in moderate to severe disabilities aresaying. The Journal of the Association for Persons withSevere Handicaps, 25(3), 129-141.

Jorgensen, C., Schuh, M., & Nisbet, J. (2005). The inclusionfacilitator’s guide. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.

Nisbet, J., & Hagner, D. (2000). Part of the community:Strategies for including everyone. Baltimore: Paul H.Brookes Publishing Co.

Powers, L., Singer, G., & Sowers, J. (1996). On the road toautonomy: Promoting self-competence in children and youthwith disabilities. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.

Rainforth, B., York, J, & Macdonald, C. (1992). Collaborativeteams for students with severe disabilities: Integratingtherapy and educational services. Baltimore: Paul H. BrookesPublishing Company.

Villa, R., & Thousand, J. (Eds.) (2005). Creating an inclusiveschool. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision andCurriculum Development.

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ABC

The Alphabet Soup of NCLBThe Alphabet Soup of NCLBThe Alphabet Soup of NCLBThe Alphabet Soup of NCLBThe Alphabet Soup of NCLB, NHEIAP, NHEIAP, NHEIAP, NHEIAP, NHEIAP, NEC, NEC, NEC, NEC, NECAPAPAPAPAP, IDE, IDE, IDE, IDE, IDEA*: WhaA*: WhaA*: WhaA*: WhaA*: What Dot Dot Dot Dot DoObjecObjecObjecObjecObjective Ptive Ptive Ptive Ptive Perferferferferformancormancormancormancormance Measure Measure Measure Measure Measures Mean fes Mean fes Mean fes Mean fes Mean for Sor Sor Sor Sor Studenttudenttudenttudenttudents withs withs withs withs withDisabilities?Disabilities?Disabilities?Disabilities?Disabilities?Richard A. Cohen, Esq., Executive Director, Disabilities Rights Center

New Hampshire officials proudly state that students in the Granite State generally do better on most perfor-mance measures (e.g. SAT scores) than students in other states. This promise of a quality education, however,cannot be claimed for most New Hampshire students with disabilities. For years there has been a crisis ineducating children with disabilities in New Hampshire, one that has been difficult to expose because of theindividualized nature of the special education process and the lack of effort by schools and the state to shinelight on the problem.

It has been more than thirty years since Congress passed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA),yet the quality of education for students with disabilities in New Hampshire remains woefully inadequate, eventhough New Hampshire does not have the magnitude of societal and educational challenges confronting mostother states. More recently, Congress enacted No Child Left Behind (NCLB) for the purpose of “improvingthe academic achievement of the disadvantaged,” including those who are “limited English proficient children,migratory children, children with disabilities, Indian children, neglected or delinquent children, and young childrenin need of reading assistance”. (Emphasis added.) In spite of these federal mandates, the results for students withdisabilities continue to be far below where they should be.

For the past several years, the Disabilities Rights Center has been tracking educational data for New Hamp-shire students with disabilities. The data paints a very poor picture indeed. For example, the Department ofEducation (DOE) reported that the dropout rate for students with disabilities is over twice that of studentswithout disabilities; the dropout rate for all students entering public high schools during this same period hasbeen reportedly between 20-25%. Even more disturbing, studies show that the majority of youth in the state’sjuvenile justice system are children with disabilities; something, that in the view of many, is the result of a failededucational system. There is also strong anecdotal evidence that students with disabilities who do finish highschool, are “graduated” by school districts prematurely and without adequate skills. The performance of studentswith disabilities on the grade level expectation assessments bears this out.

In the past the New Hampshire Educational Improvement and Assessment Program (NHEIAP), and more recentlythe New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP), verify what many would say is an unconscionabledisparity between the performance of children with disabilities and those without disabilities. This gap exists evenfor students whose only disabilities are physical, as well as for those with learning disabilities where educationalstrategies and accommodations should make it possible for them to perform commensurate with students with-out disabilities. Students with learning disabilities make up about half of all students with disabilities.

This gap has continued despite the fact that in 1997, IDEA was amended to stress educational results and out-comes, not just compliance with process. This results oriented approach was re-affirmed and strengthened withthe passage of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) in 2001 and amendments to IDEA in 2004. At the state level,the New Hampshire Supreme Court in its Claremont II decision also affirmed the importance of focusing on educa-tional results. Yet, with some important exceptions, children with disabilities continue to be left behind.

In 2005-06, statewide only 20% of eighth grade students with disabilities met the NCLB standard on the NECAPreading assessment as compared with 70% of all other students, a gap of 50%. In eighth grade math, state-

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wide only 14% of students with disabilities met the standard, comparedwith 63% of all other students, a gap of 51%. With few exceptionsthe gap in scores for all subjects in all grades has been large and hasremained roughly the same for the past five to seven years.

As of August 2006, 90 out of roughly 500 New Hampshire schoolsfailed to make adequate progress in at least one area for two yearsin a row and were designated as schools in need of improvement.Schools in need of improvement are required to take steps to improvetheir test scores; this includes offering options that parents may wantto take advantage of. In the first year of failing to make adequateprogress, schools that receive Title I funding (about 40% of New Hamp-shire schools) are required to offer students the choice of attendinganother in-district school, and to a certain extent to provide trans-portation. Practically speaking, in New Hampshire there often isn’tanother in-district school to attend. A school that has been in needof improvement for two years must also offer supplemental educationalservices (tutoring, academic intervention) to students from economicallydisadvantaged families.

Non-Title I schools in need of improvement do not have to offerschool choice or supplemental services. All schools in need of improve-ment are required to notify parents if their school has failed to makeadequate yearly progress. They must also develop a plan to improvethe school’s performance.

New Hampshire is taking some steps to address the performance gapbetween students with disabilities and those without, but it is notnearly enough. A more comprehensive statewide approach and aconcerted effort by local districts are needed to ensure that NewHampshire students with disabilities receive a quality education. NewHampshire has the know-how and the skills; it must now exercise thewill to move forward.

*GLOSSARY

NCLB: No Child Left Behind

IDEA: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (also often refers to In-dividuals with Disabilities Education IMPROVEMENT Act, or IDEIA)

NHEIAP: New Hampshire Educational Improvement and Assessment Pro-gram, testing in grades 3, 6, and 10, testing began in 1994

NECAP: New England Common Assessment Program, testing began in the05-06 school year in grades 3-8

SINI: School in Need of Improvement

Title I: refers to Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Actof 1965, enacted to improve the achievement of economically andacademically disadvantaged students.

What can you do if your child’s school isunderperforming and your child is not gettingthe education he or she needs? First, work withyour school to ensure that a qualityIndividualized Education Program (IEP) isdeveloped and implemented for your child.In addition:1. Obtain your school’s NECAP profile and

decipher it, paying special attention to theperformance of students with IEPs;

2. Find out whether your child’s school is aSchool in Need of Improvement;

3. Find out whether your child’s school is a Title 1School. If it is, consider using the option ofschool choice or supplemental services.

4. Get involved in developing the school’s planand monitoring progress.

Links to more information can be found athttp://www.drcnh.org/nochildleftbehind.htm.

IDEA: The Rules Have ChangedIn August 2006, the federal governmentpublished the final regulations following thechanges to the Individuals With DisabilitiesEducation Act of 2004. These rules are inthe Code of Federal Regulations beginningat 34 CFR §300.The final regulations are in the Federal Register,

vol. 71, no. 156: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/06-6656.pdf (note: the documentis 307 pages long)

Wrightslaw has reformatted and publishedthem on its website: http://www.wrightslaw.com/idea/law.htm

A 10-page summary of major changes isavailable from Wrightslaw: http://www.wrightslaw.com/idea/law/idea.regs.sumry.chngs.pdf

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Check It Out: Why Early IdentificCheck It Out: Why Early IdentificCheck It Out: Why Early IdentificCheck It Out: Why Early IdentificCheck It Out: Why Early Identificaaaaation istion istion istion istion isEEEEEssssssential fsential fsential fsential fsential for the Health and Developmentor the Health and Developmentor the Health and Developmentor the Health and Developmentor the Health and Developmentof Yof Yof Yof Yof Young Childroung Childroung Childroung Childroung ChildrenenenenenDebra Nelson, M. S., Institute on Disability/UCE

Stroking her three-month-old baby’s cheek, the first time mother toldher pediatrician, “I know something’s not quite right, but I don’t knowwhat. He cries all the time, hardly ever sleeps, and wants to be held allday long.” In an examining room down the hall, a father worried abouthis three-year-old daughter. “She isn’t talking like the other kids her agein our neighborhood. She only has a few words, and even then no one buther brother can understand her.”

Later both parents emerged from the doctor’s officefeeling that they had been “listened to” and relieved thattheir concerns would be investigated. The baby’s motherwas eager to rule out any health conditions that could bemaking her baby so fussy; she also had a number to callto schedule a developmental screening. In the meantime,she was thankful for the doctor’s suggestions on things shecould do to calm her baby and was hopeful that theycould both get some much-needed sleep.

Following the doctor’s recommendations, the little girl’sfather arranged to have her hearing checked and contactedthe local school district’s preschool special educationcoordinator to request an evaluation. He appreciatedthe written materials that the doctor had given him onhelping children learn to talk, and shared this informationwith his whole family and with the neighbor who tookcare of his daughter during the day.

Both these parents and their doctors recognized the impor-tance of identifying and addressing health and developmentconcerns as early as possible. Whether the issue is hearing,vision, achievement of developmental milestones, or over-all health, early identification and appropriate supports andservices are critical for the following reasons:

To correct existing concerns when possible and prevent otherproblems from developing later on. Some concerns, such asamblyopia (lazy eye), can be corrected if identifiedbefore the age of five. Others, such as hearing andspeech, when addressed early, may prevent related prob-lems from developing. For example, speech therapyincorporated into daily routines by families and childcareproviders may prevent preschoolers with articulationchallenges from feeling lonely or frustrated because noone can understand them.

EARLY IDENTIFICATION TIPS

Check it out! If you have a question or concernabout a child’s health, development, or well being,

don’t just wait and hope that he or she will grow outof it. Parents can talk to their child’s doctor or other

trusted person and ask for a screening. In NewHampshire, parents, child care providers, preschoolproviders, and others can call the Family ResourceConnection toll free (1-800-298-4321) to find out

about screening in their area.

Know the signs – both what to expect regardingchild health and typical development and the “red

flags,” or indications that a child may need anevaluation. Call the Family Resource Connection torequest their free publications, The First Five Yearsat Your Fingertips, a brochure on developmental

milestones and red flags, and a copy of Ages &Stages Questionnaire, a screening tool that

parents, early care providers, and teachers can usefor children ages 4 months to five years.

Screen early/screen often – whether or not there is apressing concern. Periodic screening in the first five

years of life, using a valid and reliable tool (i.e., onethat research has demonstrated to be effective), can

help determine whether or not a child is growing,learning, and developing as expected.

Rae Sonnenmeier and Nikhil Turner play withtrains at the Seacoast Child Development Clinic.

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To help assure that children can reach their full potential.For example, young children with chronic healthconditions who receive medications, specialattention to nutrition, and regular therapies arelikely to be healthier and better able to learn inschool and to pursue their dreams than thosewho are identified at an older age and receivenone of those benefits.

To assist the family to help their child grow and learn.The right information, supports, and services atthe right time can make an enormous differenceto children and families. These resources can helpfamilies better understand their child’s condition,gain confidence in supporting their child’s devel-opment in the course of their family’s daily rou-tine, and offer access to supports and services intheir community.

What’s the Difference?Early Identification Terms to Know

“Screening” is a brief look at a child’s developmentdesigned to show if he or she is developing asexpected or needs an evaluation in areas of concern.

“Evaluation” is an in-depth look at development,often used for diagnostic purposes and to determineeligibility for certain services and programs.

“Child find” for children aged birth to five is acontinuous process of public awareness activities,screening, and evaluation designed to locate,identify, and refer as early as possible all youngchildren with disabilities and their families who arein need of Early Intervention Program (Part C) orPreschool Special Education (Part B/619) servicesof the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act(IDEA). For more information on child find, visitthe following websites: National Early ChildhoodTechnical Assistance Center: www.nectac.org(includes state-by-state contacts);www.childfindidea.org; and the Tracking, Referraland Assessment Center for Excellence (TRACE):www.tracecenter.info/.

LitLitLitLitLittle Ones Hatle Ones Hatle Ones Hatle Ones Hatle Ones Have Big Drve Big Drve Big Drve Big Drve Big DreamseamseamseamseamsTTTTToo: Poo: Poo: Poo: Poo: Pererererersonsonsonsonson-----CCCCCentententententererererered Planninged Planninged Planninged Planninged Planningfffffor For For For For Families with Yamilies with Yamilies with Yamilies with Yamilies with Young Childroung Childroung Childroung Childroung ChildrenenenenenAnn Donoghue Dillon, M.Ed, OTL,Institute on Disability/UCE

Many people are familiar with person-centeredplanning as a way to help young adults transitionfrom school to adult services. Person-centeredplanning for two-year olds is quite a differentexperience. However, whether the person is twoor 22, the underlying process is amazingly similar.Person-centered planning brings together a com-mitted group of people to engage in an ongoingand creative process to plan for someone whoneeds extra support in the coming months or years.

What is person-centered planning and howdoes it work?According to Pete Ritchie, who helped to pio-neer this approach to planning, “Person-centered-planning is a way of organizing around one per-son to define and create a better future.” Whatan exciting concept: people who have the child’sbest interests in mind commit to working togetherto create a meaningful plan to support the indi-vidual. It is a process that is innovative, informal,and individualized; person-centered planning canbe used effectively for anyone in need of planningat any age.

Planning meetings take place in a comfortableenvironment of the family’s choosing. A facilitatoruses flip charts and markers to help the groupengage in a creative process where ideas are exploredand illustrated on colorful maps. Over several meet-ings, the team defines its purpose and illustratesa history of the child’s life (e.g., home, education,health, family). As the team moves forward it maybring in others with the “right” skills to helpestablish a vision for the child’s future, set real-istic outcomes, and propose action steps. Eachmeeting is unique and outcomes are individuallytailored to the child, family, and group of peopleengaged in the process. Person-centered planningcreates a sense of shared trust and energy withthe thoughts of one member sparking the rest ofthe group to explore new ideas and possibilities.

( C o n t i n u e d o n n e x t p a g e )

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What is the role of the facilitator?Ideally, the planning facilitator is someone who has beentrained in person-centered planning and is both aneffective communicator and a good listener. It is thefacilitator’s job to guide the group through a series ofplanning meetings. Between meetings the facilitatorreflects on the work of the group to date and createsmaps for the next meeting that will help the group tomove forward. In between meetings the participantswork on specific action items. The planning processcontinues until the group decides that its purpose hasbeen accomplished.

What are the challenges?There are several challenges to engaging families ofyoung children in a person-centered planning pro-cess, these include:

How to make families aware of this planning pro-cess as an option for support for their child andthemselves.

( C o n t i n u e d f r o m p a g e 7 ) How to get service system team members to partici-pate when there are time and personnel constraints.

How do have service systems make adjustments inpeople’s schedules so they can participate in anongoing series of meetings?

How to make families comfortable with a newapproach to planning that is different from theyare used to.

More work is needed to create an increased awareness andinterest in this planning tool. Person-centered planningshould become an accepted component of family cen-tered supports and services for young children. Thisplanning process has the potential to bring about amore creative and organized approach to supportingchildren and their families, resulting in a more efficientservice delivery system that actually saves time andmoney, and reduces frustration for both families andproviders. More importantly, person-centered plan-ning can help families feel less alone and more relaxedand confident about their child’s future.

Staci Smith is a lover of whales; onceon a whale watch she found herselfstaring eye to eye with a humpback.For more than thirteen years Staci hasbeen keeping track of Salt, a hump-back whale with an unusually whitedorsal fin that frequents Rye Harbor.Staci, who is now 23, has wanted to bea marine biologist since she was five.

It’s taking Staci longer than sheexpected to reach her goal; gettingthrough high school took her sevenyears. Staci, who has a learning dis-ability and a seizure disorder, beganreceiving special education whenshe was seven and until she enteredManchester’s Central High Schoolwas a straight-A student.

Staci’s freshman year got off to arocky start. Her great-grandmother,

with whom she was very close, had re-cently died and Staci’s mother was se-riously ill. Staci began the year anxiousand depressed, and terrified to leaveher mother home alone. Her attendancefell off and her grades plummetedfrom A’s to F’s; though when she wasin school Staci was a model student

who worked hard. “I never got intotrouble. I never got kicked out of school.I never got detention. I was just havingan issue about being in school.” Theschool made no attempt to find outwhat was wrong or to help her get backon track; Staci, who knew she neededmore help than she was getting, wastoo shy to speak up for herself.

By the end of her freshman yearStaci had rallied and was attendingschool regularly. “I talked to my re-source teacher and asked if there wasany way for me to get help,” Staciremembered. “My teacher told me,‘There’s no way you can do this, don’teven bother coming back to school.You’re failing anyway.’ ” Staci wasdevastated and told her mother, “Mylife is over. . . . I’m never going to getinto college now.”

Charting Her CCharting Her CCharting Her CCharting Her CCharting Her Courourourouroursesesesese Julia Freeman-Woolpert, Disabilities Rights Center

No person has the right to rain on your dreams.Marian Wright Edelman, President and Founder of the Children’s Defense Fund

Staci Smith is the Youth Leadership Coordinatorfor the Alliance for Community Supports

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Staci repeated her freshman year andwas doing well, when three weeks be-fore summer vacation in the middle ofthe Central’s courtyard, “in front of thewhole school,” she had a grand malseizure. As a shy, insecure teen, it washer worst nightmare. Unable to facegoing back to school, Staci failed ninthgrade for the second time.

Still she refused to let go of her dreamof college; in the fall she entered 9th

grade for the third time. School per-sonnel were not supportive; they hintedthat she could drop out and could gether GED later. Staci’s mother tried,without luck, to get the school toschedule meetings to come up witha workable plan for her daughter.

With seizures, neurology appointments,and a knee injury Staci’s attendanceagain became an issue. When the schoolrefused to honor their agreement tocount neurology appointments asexcused absences, Staci had to file aformal appeal to get her record cor-rected. All of this added to Staci’salready high stress level, aggravatingmore seizures, causing her to miss yetmore school. While Staci did receivesome assistance through the resourceroom, she didn’t find it very helpful.

Rather than explaining the material,Staci explained, “their idea of helpingwas the answer is this, this, and this.”

Still in spite of everything, Staci excelledat some subjects. Inspired by her historyteachers she couldn’t wait to get toclass. “I usually sit in the back ‘causeI’m shy. When you have a learningdisability you don’t like to raise yourhand . . . but in history I knew all theanswers and I was not afraid of sayingthem. I was always in the first row. It’stotally different if you know whatyou’re talking about.” She continued tolove biology, but the school refused tolet her take additional classes in thesubject because she hadn’t passed therequired physical science course.

In her senior year, Staci’s mother heardabout Project RENEW, an alternativehigh school program. Though theyinitially refused to enroll Staci in theprogram, Central finally capitulatedto her mother’s persistent advocacyand agreed to include RENEW’s ser-vices in Staci’s Individual EducationPlan. Through RENEW, Staci receivedindividualized supports including tutor-ing, mentoring, and the academic helpshe needed to complete her course-work. After seven years in high school

Staci had finally earned enough creditsto graduate. As graduation approached,the school delivered its last insult,telling Staci that she could not par-ticipate in the graduation ceremony.It took more advocacy on the part ofStaci, her mother, and Project RE-NEW before Central allowed her tomarch with the rest of the graduatingclass. “It meant the world to me,”Staci said.

Staci still doesn’t understand why herhigh school didn’t do more to supportand encourage her, or to provide theservices and accommodations sheneeded to succeed. “I know I was barelythere, but when I was there I was ahard worker,” she said. “Maybe if theyjust gave me a little help, it wouldn’thave taken me seven years to get outof high school.”

Still pursuing her dream to earn adegree in marine biology, Staci isapplying to the University of NewHampshire. Meanwhile, she is theenthusiastic new Youth LeadershipCoordinator for the Alliance forCommunity Supports and in herwork with the Alliance has been aguest lecturer in several college classes,including some at UNH.

2006-2007 Youth Leadership SeriesThe Alliance for Community Supports offers a Youth Leadership Series for New Hampshirestudents age 15-22 with mental health diagnoses. The Series provides a supportive environmentfor students to explore their strengths and needs, develop effective communication skills, andlearn about their rights. This seven month series begins October 21, 2006 with monthly Saturdayworkshops on topics that include: group dynamics, lobbying government agencies and elected officials,leadership skills, conflict resolution, peer support, disability awareness, and self-awareness.

The Alliance is seeking participants for this year’s Series. If you feel that you would make a goodcandidate for the program, or know of someone who would, please visit the online applicationsection of the website. For additional information, contact the Youth Leadership Coordinator,Staci Smith.

www.allianceforcommunitysupports.com – Telephone (603)628-7681

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Advocating for your child to obtain special educa-tion and appropriate services can be a difficult task,particularly when you and the School District do notagree on the appropriate course of action. However,arriving at an impasse only means arriving at a newphase of your advocacy. The Individuals with Dis-abilities Education Act (IDEA) and State SpecialEducation laws contemplate that there will be dis-agreements between School Districts and Parents inimplementing IDEA requirements. As a result, fed-eral and state laws provide several avenues for reso-lution of such disputes. Parents or school districtsmay: (1) request mediation, (2) file for due process,or (3) file a complaint.1 Individuals may use any ofthese processes to seek to resolve a dispute “withrespect to any matter relating to the identification,evaluation, or educational placement of the child orthe provision of a free appropriate and public educa-tion (FAPE) to such child.”

Mediation is voluntary and is intended to be non-adversarial. A request for mediation should be made,in writing, to the Department of Education. TheDepartment will then assign a trained mediator anda date and time for mediation will be selected. Par-ents or School Districts may bring and be advised byindividuals with specialized knowledge or training toassist them at the mediation session. The role of themediator is to sit down with the parties and try tohelp them to reach an agreement to resolve theirdisputes. If the parties agree, they may enter into abinding agreement which is enforceable in court. Ifthey are unable to reach an agreement, they mayrequest due process or file a complaint. Should theparties proceed to due process, any statements madein the course of the mediation are confidential andmay not be used in subsequent proceedings.

WhaWhaWhaWhaWhat Yt Yt Yt Yt You Cou Cou Cou Cou Can Do When Yan Do When Yan Do When Yan Do When Yan Do When You Disagrou Disagrou Disagrou Disagrou Disagree with theee with theee with theee with theee with theSchool DisSchool DisSchool DisSchool DisSchool Districtrictrictrictrict on Special Et on Special Et on Special Et on Special Et on Special Educducducducducaaaaation Istion Istion Istion Istion IssuessuessuessuessuesAmy Messer, Esq., Disabilities Rights Center

A request for Due Process can be made any time theSchool District proposes to initiate or change the identi-fication, evaluation, or educational placement of a child,or the provision of FAPE, or refuses to make such changeswhen requested by the parent. A request for due processmust be filed with the Department of Education and acopy must be sent to the School District. The requestmust include the name and address of the student, theschool the student is attending, a description of thenature of the problem, the facts related to the problem,and a proposed resolution to the extent it is known. In-clude in the due process request all issues that you wishto be heard at the hearing, otherwise you may notbe permitted to raise them at the hearing. The School Dis-trict must respond to the request for due process within 10days. School Districts are now required to schedule a“resolution meeting” within 15 days. This resolutionmeeting is designed to bring together the individualswith specific knowledge regarding the subject of thedue process complaint, and give the School District theopportunity to resolve the issues. School attorneys arenot permitted to attend unless the parent is accompaniedby an attorney. The parties may waive the resolutionmeeting, or they may request mediation.

If the options for alternative dispute resolution fail, theparties may proceed to a due process hearing. This is anadversarial process where schools and parents have theright to be represented by counsel, present evidence,

1 An additional option, created under State Law is the NeutralConference. This option is rarely used and is, therefore, notelaborated on here. However, it allows the parties to pick a “neutral”individual from five resumes provided by the Department. Theneutral reviews documents submitted, hears from the parties,provides an opinion of the strengths and weaknesses of the case,

and gives recommendations for resolution which can beaccepted or rejected by the parties.

11

confront and cross examine witnesses, compel the presenceof witnesses, obtain a record of the hearing, and requestfindings of fact and rulings of law. Hearing Officers aresupposed to limit each party to one day to present theircase, unless additional time is necessary for a full, fairdisclosure of the facts. The Hearing Officer is alsosupposed to limit witnesses if their testimony is redundant,cumulative, or irrelevant.

The Hearing Officer must issue a final decision within 45days after receipt of the request for a due process hearingunless a specified exception is made in accordance with thelaw. Either party may appeal the decision of the HearingOfficer to state or federal court. State law requires thatappeals be filed within 120 days from receipt of the decision.

Attorneys’ fees may be available to the parent’s attorneyif they are the “prevailing party” at the due processhearing. If the School District prevails at the hearingthe parent is required to pay the District’s attorney’s feesonly if there is a finding that the case was frivolous,unreasonable, or without foundation, or the parent con-tinued to litigate after the litigation clearly became frivo-lous, unreasonable, or without foundation.

A final alternative to resolve disputes is the filing ofa Complaint. Anyone may file a complaint with theDepartment of Education that alleges a violation of stateor federal requirements. Complaints should be in writingand signed, and include the facts on which the statementis based. Alleged violations must have occurred not morethan one year prior to the date the complaint is received,unless the violation is continuing, or the complainant isrequesting compensatory services of a violation thatoccurred not more than three years prior to the date thecomplaint is filed. The Department of Education will

investigate the complaint and issue a writtenreport to the Commissioner of Education. TheCommissioner will issue a written decision includ-ing findings of fact, conclusions, and the reasons forthe decision. If the Commissioner finds that the SchoolDistrict has failed to provide appropriate services, theCommissioner’s order shall include direction to theSchool District as to how to remediate the denial ofservices, and where appropriate, award monetary reim-bursement or other corrective action appropriate to theneeds of the child. The order may also include a direc-tion for appropriate future provision of services for allchildren with disabilities.

All complaints are to be resolved within 60 days,but may be extended to 90 days if certain condi-tions apply. Any party to the complaint may requestreconsideration and appeal the decision of theCommissioner. When a finding has been made thatrequires that the School District take action, theDepartment of Education is required to monitorcompliance and can enforce the decision by, amongother things, withholding state or federal funds,ordering repayment of misspent or misapplied funds,or referring the matter to the Department of Justice.

For more information on your rights and specialeducation laws and regulations or to obtain formsfor filing complaints and due process requests, youcan visit the New Hampshire Department of Educationwebsite at www.ed.state.nh.us/education. You canalso contact the Disabilities Rights Center at 1-800-834-1721 or 603-228-0432 or visit our website atwww.drcnh.org. A copy of this article, which includeslegal citations, may be found at our website.

Need help or information? PIC offers:✧ Help in finding resources✧ Workshops✧ Help for parents of children with disabilities✧ Help in building family-school partnerships✧ Newsletters✧ Disability Awareness Kits✧ Family Learning KitsThe Parent Information Center (PIC) is a recognizedleader in building strong family/school partnerships.

PARENT INFORMATION CENTERPIC provides information, support, and educationalprograms for parents, family members, educators,and the community. PIC is a pioneer in promotingeffective parent involvement in the special educationprocess. To learn more visit the website atwww.parentinformationcenter.org/ or contact:

Parent Information Center, P.O. Box 2405,Concord, NH 03302-2405

(603) 224-7005 Voice/TDD(800) 947-7005 (N.H. only)

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Discipline fDiscipline fDiscipline fDiscipline fDiscipline for Sor Sor Sor Sor Studenttudenttudenttudenttudents with Disabilitiess with Disabilitiess with Disabilitiess with Disabilitiess with DisabilitiesKaren Rosenberg, J.D., Disabilities Rights Center

If your child has a disability that affects his behavior in school and as a result is facing suspension, is thereanything you can do to ensure that he continues to receive the special education and related services in hisIndividual Education Plan (IEP)?

When children with disabilities are suspended from school they are likely to miss important services, fallbehind, and are at increased risk of failing or dropping out. Before Congress enacted the Individuals withDisabilities in Education Act (IDEA) and its prior law, the Education for all Handicapped Children Act, schoolsfrequently excluded children with disabilities. IDEA and other laws protect students with disabilities from beingunfairly disciplined for behaviors that are directly related to their disabilities.

In general, all students, including those with disabilities, are expected to follow school conduct codes. As longas the punishment for violating the code is removal from school for 10 days or less, schools may impose thesame punishment on children with disabilities as on children who do not have disabilities. Schools maynot impose harsher punishments on students with disabilities. If your child is suspended for 10 days or less,and the school is applying the disciplinary code the same way it would to all students, your child does not havea right to avoid suspension. In this case, the school may exclude your child from all educational opportunities,including extra-curricular activities, special education, and related services during the time he is suspended.

If the punishment for violating the conduct code is removal from school for more than 10 days, you may beable to reduce the punishment or prevent the punishment from being imposed on your child. When thepunishment in the school code is more than 10 days suspension, the school may consider whether the student’s“unique circumstances” warrant a lesser punishment. Also, the school must provide additional procedural pro-tections to students with disabilities. In most situations, students with disabilities who have not been “coded”are entitled to the same protections as students with IEPs, if the school had reason to know before theincident at issue, that the student might be eligible for special education.

If the punishment is more than 10 days suspension, the school must hold a meeting to determine whether thestudent’s behavior at issue was a “manifestation” of the student’s disability. The “manifestation meeting” may occurafter the student is removed from the school, but must occur within 10 school days of the decision to removethe student. The parent(s) and other “relevant members” of the student’s IEP team should attend the meeting.

During the meeting, participants review all relevant information in the student’s file, including the IEP, observa-tions, evaluations, and information that parents provide. To prove the conduct at issue was a manifestation ofthe child’s disability, the parent/student must show that the conduct was caused by, or was directly andsubstantially the result of, the child’s disability or was the direct result of the school’s failure to implementthe student’s IEP. This is a tough standard to meet and one that often will turn on the opinion of experts suchas behavioral specialists or psychologists.

If the team decides the behavior was a manifestation of the child’s disability, the school must immediatelyreturn the child to the original school placement. In addition, the school must conduct a functional behavioralassessment (FBA) and develop a behavior intervention plan (BIP). If the child already has a BIP, the IEP teammust review the plan and modify it, if necessary, to address the behavioral problems. However, even if the“manifestation team” determines that the behavior at issue was not a manifestation of the child’s disability,the school is not permitted to deny educational services to a child with a disability for more than 10 schooldays. In this case, the school is required to implement the child’s IEP in an interim alternative setting.

ξ

In “special circumstances,” a school may place a child with a disability in an alternative educational setting forup to 45 school days, regardless of whether the conduct at issue was a manifestation of the child’s disability.Special circumstances include: 1) carrying a weapon to school or a school function; 2) knowingly possessing,using, or selling illegal drugs at school or a school function; and 3) causing serious bodily injury to anotherperson on school grounds or at a school function. Before seeking a placement in an alternative educationalsetting that is longer than 45 days, the school must first get an order from an independent hearing officer.In addition, the school must conduct an FBA and develop a BIP if it removes a child from school due to “specialcircumstances.”

If your child is removed from school for more than 10 days and you disagree with either the “manifestationdetermination” or the school’s placement decision, you may request a hearing before a Department of Educa-tion Hearing Officer. If you request a hearing or have questions about school discipline imposed on your child,consider obtaining further information and/or legal representation from a qualified attorney or organization,including the Disabilities Rights Center.

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MondayOCTOBER 23rd

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Featured Workshops:• The Classroom Assistant’s Role in General Education

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• Using Resources for Self-Directed Secondary Transition

• Practical Approaches for Understanding and Supportingthe Learning Needs of Children with Autism in a TypicalClassroom Setting

• Positive Supports and Person-Centered Planning:Strategies for Toddlers and Young Children

PRESENTED BYTHE INSTITUTE ON DISABILITY

For more information or to register online, visitwww.iod.unh.edu

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DrDrDrDrDropping Out, But Not Gopping Out, But Not Gopping Out, But Not Gopping Out, But Not Gopping Out, But Not Giving Upiving Upiving Upiving Upiving UpJulia Freeman-Woolpert, Disabilities Rights Center

1 Raffaele Mendez, Linda M. Who Gets Suspended from School and Why: ADemographic Analysis of Schools and Disciplinary Infractions in a Large School District,from Education and Treatment of Children, Vol. 26 No. 1, Feb 2003

2 Children with Disabilities in the New Hampshire Juvenile Justice System, a report to the Divisionof Juvenile Justice Services, by Michael Skibbie, Justiceworks, April 2004 http://www.drcnh.org/ChildrenwDisabilities.pdf

When Oscar dropped out of school two years ago, he knew hischances for success dropped too. He explained how his behavior puthim at odds with the school, “I put teachers through a lot and I putthe people that were surrounding me through a lot. They kind ofstarted shutting down on me and kind of gave up on me. I wish thatthey wouldn’t have given up on me.”

Oscar talked about his problems at school, “My big thing wastardiness, just going to school late. When your tardiness adds up,then you’d get a suspension.” Suspension was a punishment thatdidn’t make sense to him. “It’s like they’ve got more reason to foolaround.” Oscar explained how things went from bad to worse, “Asa young guy I got in trouble. I didn’t know what I wanted to do,and I didn’t know who my friends were. I tried to impress people anddid stupid stuff. I hung out with the wrong crowd and got into somestupid trouble.” The trouble was bad enough that he landed in theYouth Development Center and later, in a series of foster homes.

Oscar’s difficulties with school and the law are not unique. A 2003study showed that minority students are more likely to get suspendedfor minor offenses and to receive more severe punishments. Thestudy concluded that, “. . . school suspension often is not success-ful in decreasing students’ chronic and inappropriate behavior, andit is related to a variety of negative academic and educational out-comes for students.”1 Without the structure of school, students aremore likely to get into trouble and end up in the court system. InNew Hampshire, children from minority groups are three timesmore likely to end up in the Youth Development Center, a rate higherthan the national average.2 Students with disabilities also are morelikely than those without disabilities to end up in the juvenile justicesystem and once in the system, these children are less likely to be re-leased on parole or administrative release.

Aida Cases, former director of the Bienestar Mental program ofNAMI-NH, has worked with Latino youth who, like Oscar, havedropped out of school. She says there are many issues with Latinofamilies that do not get addressed effectively, making it harder forLatino students to overcome cultural and linguistic challenges.

Latino/Hispanic families often trust the schoolto do the right thing; they are reluctant tospeak up about problems and many parentsare often unaware that their child is havingbehavioral or educational difficulties. Mostschool personnel are not adequately trained tounderstand a student’s needs for ESL (Englishas a Second Language) services versus theneed for special education services. Too fre-quently, these students end up in less chal-lenging courses, are bored, and more likelyto drop out. Cases said that simple steps, suchas providing information to parents in theirnative language, could make a big difference.With appropriate ESL or special educationsupports, New Hampshire schools could doa better job educating and graduating theirLatino students.

In spite of everything, Oscar is optimistic abouthis future. While school did not work out forOscar, he has been more successful with workand has had a number of jobs. “You name it,I’ve done it, “ said Oscar, “I’ve done landscap-ing. I’ve done construction. I’ve done cleaning.I’ve done restaurant business. I’ve done littleshops, department stores. I used to sell cars.”Currently, he’s working part time and trainingto be a manager at Classic Tuxedos in Nashua’sPheasant Lane Mall, a job well suited toOscar’s outgoing and friendly personality. Os-car knows that good paying jobs require a highschool diploma or its equivalent. “My planright now is to focus on getting my GED andtry to move forward. Nobody told me to getmy GED. I just kinda motivated myself.”

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Oscar Villacis is working towards getting his GED.

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NEW HAMPSHIRE

TAKES STEPS TO IMPROVE

DISCIPLINE PRACTICES

In recent years the New HampshireDepartment of Education (NHDOE)has taken some important steps toimprove discipline practices in ourstate’s schools. In 2003 the Departmentinitiated Positive BehavioralIntervention Systems (PBIS) to improvethe management and teaching ofbehavioral skills. PBIS is an approachthat “encourages a positive climateschool wide by focusing systematicallyon the general school population,students at risk, and students withintensive or chronic behavioral andemotional problems.” For moreinformation about PBIS and the NewHampshire Center for EffectiveBehavior Interventions and Supports,see go to http://www.nhcebis.seresc.net/index.phpIn October 2005, the NHDOE issued,FY 06 Memo #13, a memorandumconcerning the use of physical restraintsin school settings. The intent of thedocument is “to provide guidance onthe adoption of guidelines and policytowards the practice of promotion,creating, and enhancing positive schoolclimates that encourage social,emotional and academic growth.” Youcan find this document at:http://www.ed.state.nh.us/education/doe/organization/instruction/SpecialEd/SPED2006.htm

In order to bring greater awareness toAssistive Technology and celebrate thelimitless possibilities it presents,October 7-14, 2006 will be the firstannual New Hampshire AssistiveTechnology Week. Join in celebratingthe everyday miracles that AT providesto thousands of individuals across NewHampshire. So what exactly isAssistive Technology or “AT”? AT isany one of thousands of devices thatmake life easier for all people of allages. It can be as simple as anenlarged handle on a tool to make iteasier to grip or as complex as a voiceactivated computer. Amazingly, thereare over 220,000 individuals in NewHampshire who use AT in everydayactivities to help increase theirindependence at home, school, work,and play. Join your neighbors tocelebrate the first annual NewHampshire Assistive Technology Week.Information on statewide events isavailable at www.atinnh.org

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An Individualized EAn Individualized EAn Individualized EAn Individualized EAn Individualized Educducducducducaaaaationtiontiontiontion Julia Freeman-Woolpert, Disabilities Rights Center

A few days a week, Ethan Colgan can be found at PetSmart,Concord’s newest pet store. He volunteers wiping down fishtanks, filling bins with dog biscuits, and doing a variety ofjobs. Ethan loves the dogs that come in and since workingat the store he has conquered his fear of birds.

Ethan, who has Down Syndrome and autism, is a studentat Hopkinton High School. Due to his extensive needs, hehas a year-round educational program; volunteering atPetSmart is part of Ethan’s education. Jen Drouin, histeacher – technically she is a behavior specialist assistant –works alongside Ethan, showing him how to do the work.At PetSmart Ethan is doing more than just helping out;he also is adjusting to having aschedule and practicing his socialand communication skills.

Ethan was in an inclusive classroomuntil 8th grade. “Inclusion was excel-lent for him,” said his mother, DebbyColgan. In high school, however,being in classes was not as success-ful for Ethan. Now he works one toone with his teacher. Hopkintonstudents know Ethan well from thecafeteria, the halls, and from visitsEthan makes to their classrooms.Ethan enjoys going to school events, especially baseballgames, and he’s been to the prom twice.

For Ethan, who speaks only seven words, learning to com-municate is the most important part of his IEP (Indi-vidual Education Plan). A few years ago, his mother heardabout PECS, Picture Exchange Communication System,designed to help students with autism communicate. Thepicture system has become an invaluable teaching tool;Ethan now understands and uses about 30 pictures. Debbywishes she had known about PECS sooner; she believesEthan would be able to communicate much better now if hehad been using pictures all along.

In teaching Ethan, Jen uses a strategy called Discrete TrialTraining.1 This is a highly structured approach that usesthe principles of Applied Behavior Analysis to break down

complex tasks into smaller, teachable steps. A behaviorspecialist consults with Jen on a regular basis to help guideEthan’s training.

Part of Ethan’s educational program takes place at home,with his mother participating. “That’s something I wouldrecommend to all parents,” said Debby. For Ethan, learningis very location-specific; he may learn the meaning of a newpicture, but only use it in the environment in which helearned it. Expanding Ethan’s program to include teachinghim at home and in the community is essential to hiseducation. His parents can understand and anticipate hisneeds without the picture system, but Debby worries about

the time when someone else will behis primary caregiver. “He reallyneeds to learn to use the pictures athome so that he can deal with otherpeople,” she said.

Learning to adjust to new experiencesis an important aspect of Ethan’seducation. Shaving was unpleasantand frightening; so it was a big dealwhen Ethan learned to tolerate anelectric razor. Now Ethan is learninghow to wear headphones. Ethan’s sis-ter recently moved to Arizona and

the family would like to visit. Right now it wouldn’t bepossible to take Ethan on a plane: the confusion and noisewould be too overwhelming for him. Headphones canshut out noise and help him to feel more comfortable. “Ifeel optimistic that we will be able to get him on a planeand the headphones will be part of making it possible,”Debby said. Ethan has started using headphones to listento music when he is in the car. When his family drove toCape Cod, Ethan watched a DVD movie and used head-phones to listen to the audio.

Next spring Ethan turns 21 and will no longer be eligible forspecial education. Ethan will continue to need significantsupport and supervision from people who have the skills tomeet his special needs and circumstances. The school isworking with Community Bridges to help Ethan with thetransition to adult services. However, funding from the AreaAgency is not guaranteed and Ethan, like many others, mayfind himself on a waiting list for services. Debby is veryconcerned about her son’s future. “When Ethan gets out ofschool I think that just being home with his mother isn’tgoing to be real healthy or good for him.” Without supports,Ethan could easily lose the skills he has worked so hard to learn.

1More about discrete trial training can be found at http://www.polyxo.com/discretetrial/. The 2006 Autism Society of America’sconference included a presentation, “Applied Behavior Analysis:Beyond Discrete Trial Teaching”, archived on the ASA website athttp://asa.confex.com/asa/2006/techprogram/S1841.HTM (you’ll haveto join the ASA and get a password to hear the whole presentation,but the website has a summary accessible to all).

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Ethan Colgan enjoys a moment with a co-workerat PetSmart.

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The SThe SThe SThe SThe Stttttaaaaattttte of the Se of the Se of the Se of the Se of the Stttttaaaaattttte – Special Ee – Special Ee – Special Ee – Special Ee – Special Educducducducducaaaaation in New Hampshirtion in New Hampshirtion in New Hampshirtion in New Hampshirtion in New HampshireeeeePeter Antal, Ph.D., Research Coordinator, Institute on Disability

The extent to which our children and young adults receive a quality education should be of concern to all of New Hampshire.Research clearly documents the link between an individual’s level of education and the ability to obtain employment with higherwages and better benefits, including adequate health insurance. Individuals who are well educated not only enjoy a higher qualityof life, they also are more likely to be involved in and contribute to the well being of their communities. The importance of receivinga quality education is especially critical for children with disabilities. Knowledge and skills acquired early in life can mean thedifference between self-sufficiency and life long dependency. Individuals with disabilities who received an adequate and appropriateeducation need fewer and less expensive supports as adults; they are much more likely to be employed, contributing members of theircommunities, rather than dependent upon publicly funded supports and services.

Access New Hampshire: Living with Disability in the Granite State – Educational Supports for Children with Disabilities

We know that a good education is one of the corner-stones to achieving a successful and independent life, withfar-reaching implications for employment, health care, andfinancial security. Yet, current benchmarks of schoolsuccess indicate that the State of New Hampshire isless than effective in providing youth with disabilities thetools and supports they need to succeed.

The New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP)offers a benchmark for gauging special education in NewHampshire. In the 2005-2006 school year, NECAP testedall children grades three through eight in math andreading/language arts, with writing tests given for fifthand eighth graders. Students’ scores fall into one of fourachievement levels: Substantially Below Proficient, PartiallyProficient, Proficient, and Proficient with Distinction. Thegraph below shows how eighth grade students with dis-abilities fare as compared to all other students in the assess-ments for reading, math, and writing.

The graph documents that children with disabilities aresubstantially more likely to be categorized as less proficientthan their peers. Eighty percent scored below proficiencyin Reading in eighth grade vs. only 31% among all otherchildren. In Math, 87% were below the proficiency stan-

dard vs. only 37% of other students. In Writing, 89%scored below proficiency, whereas less than half of thestudents without disabilities (44%) fell into this category.

Even more troubling is the proportion of children withdisabilities who scored in the lowest category. The 2005Eighth Grade NECAP Assessment defined “SubstantiallyBelow Proficient” as follows.

READING“Student’s performance demonstrates minimal ability toderive/construct meaning from grade-appropriate text. Studentmay be able to recognize story elements and text features.Student’s limited vocabulary knowledge and use of strate-gies impacts the ability to read and comprehend text.”

– Two of every five students with a disability fit this criteria

MATH“Student’s problem solving is often incomplete, lacks logicalreasoning and accuracy, and shows little conceptual under-standing in most aspects of the grade level expectations.Student is able to start some problems but computationalerrors and lack of conceptual understanding interfere withsolving problems successfully.”

– Two of every three students with a disability fit this criteria

WRITING“Student’s writing demonstrates a minimal response toprompt/task. Focus is unclear or lacking. Little or noorganizational structure is evident. Details are minimaland/or random. Sentence structures and language use areminimal or absent. Frequent errors in conventions may inter-fere with meaning.”

– One of every two students with a disability fit this criteria

Eighth Grade NECAP Assessment2005

■ Substantially Below Proficient■ Partially Proficient■ Proficient■ Proficient with Distinction

Prop

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80

60

40

20

0Disability All Other Disability All Other Disability All Other

Reading Math Writing

43 37

20

06

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13

66

2113

1

15 22

48

15

53

36

10 100

34

49

7

( C o n t i n u e d o n p a g e 1 9 )

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GGGGGetetetetetting Orting Orting Orting Orting OrganizedganizedganizedganizedganizedCarol Stamatakis, Esq., New Hampshire Council on Developmental Disabilities

For her Senior Year Projectat Bow High School TracyMoltisanti organized a self-advocacy group for teenswith disabilities. Tracy gotthe idea for her project afterattending the People First’sTraining Series, “BuildingYourself” which focusedon helping high school

students with disabilities increase their self-confidenceand achieve their goals. During the series, Tracy learnedabout the importance of self-advocacy and the value ofgroups like People First. Tracy was so inspired by herexperience that she decided to organize a self-advocacygroup for high school students with disabilities.

In Bow, seniors are required to work with an adultmentor on a Senior Project that includes some elementof community service. Tracy asked Janet Hunt ofPeople First to be the mentor for her project. Tracyinitially considered a self-advocacy group just for Bowstudents, but because of the small number of studentsin her high school she decided to reach out to thegreater Concord area. With help from Janet Hunt andKristen Frost, an individual student assistant at BowHigh School, Tracy created posters inviting studentsto an organizational meeting. The posters were dis-played in local high schools and at CommunityBridges, the Area Agency for the region. To prepare forthe first meeting, Tracy met with “Our Goals,” a PeopleFirst group in Concord. She observed their meetingand learned about planning and preparing an agenda.Tracy also applied for and was awarded a New Hamp-shire Council on Developmental Disabilities Teen “MiniGrant” that she used to help pay for refreshments atmeetings and to cover miscellaneous expenses.

Tracy said that planning was the most difficult partof her project, “I am not an organized person! I neededhelp with planning. It was hard getting people there.”While Tracy was disappointed that none of her Bowclassmates joined the group, she was pleased thatstudents from Concord and Pembroke came. Thegroup has met three times and plans are being madefor the first meeting of the new school year. Accord-

ing to Janet Hunt, “The group is working on a nameand members have talked about electing officers –and plans for future meetings. They are excited andenergized.” Tracy said that the self-advocacy grouphas helped people “know they have rights and helpsthem know their responsibilities too. It helps themknow they’re equal, that they have the same rights aseveryone else.”

Tracy talked about what this project has meant toher, “I learned to be more organized. I can speak upa little more and explain what I need. I used to jokea lot more and use humor. I have learned to be moredirect.” Tracy has always been an active participantin her IEP meetings, but sometimes would becometoo emotional. According to Ms. Frost. “Tracy’s pro-ject played a part in her starting to realize she canexpress her feelings and opinions without gettingupset and angry.”

Tracy believes the group has helped her and the otherparticipants become better listeners. Ms. Frost observedthat developing better listening skills has dramaticallyimproved Tracy’s ability to participate meaningfully inher IEP meetings. “She is now able to sit back andlisten, wait for her turn and give rebuttal. She doesvery well.” Tracy understands that good communica-tion is a two way street and offered the followingadvice to adults who interact with individuals withdisabilities, “Be honest and listen to people. Be honestwhen someone is not doing a good job. Treat [a personwith disabilities] like everyone else.” Tracy said therehave been times when adults have been “too afraid”to be honest because she has a disability.

Asked whether she would encourage other studentsto start self-advocacy groups, Tracy replied, “Go forit! It’s hard work. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Ifsomething is not right, keep putting the effort into it.It’s worth it. It’s very worth it!”

Tracy presented her project to faculty and staff usinga power point presentation that she created. Her pre-sentation and other information about Tracy’s projectcan be found at http://www.peoplefirstofnh.org/YoungAdultSelf-Advocacy.htm.

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Bow High School student TracyMoltisanti organized a self-advocacy group for her SeniorYear Project.

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Building SBuilding SBuilding SBuilding SBuilding Strtrtrtrtronger Conger Conger Conger Conger Communitiesommunitiesommunitiesommunitiesommunities

The New Hampshire Developmental Disabilities Councilis offering grants of up to $500 per project to teens oryoung adults, ages 14 – 21, who want to make their schoolsor communities more welcoming to people of all abilities.

PROJECT TEAMS

In order to apply for a grant, a team must be formed thatincludes at least one teen or young adult with a disabilityand one adult support person. We encourage you to involveyoung people, with and without disabilities, to make yourproject a success. A whole class and their teacher couldbe involved, or a few students with and without disabilitiescould work with a faculty member or a community volun-teer. Community organizations and teen clubs are encour-aged to participate. School affiliation is not required.

SOME IDEAS FOR PROJECTS

We will fund projects that address a barrier or challengethat teens or young people with disabilities currentlyface, or that support young people with disabilities inspeaking for themselves. We want projects that helppeople to build relationships by taking part in everydayactivities with others in their schools and communities.Below are examples of possible projects. These examplesshould in no way limit what you can do. We encourageyou to be creative and propose a project that will work foryou and address a real concern in your community. Wewill seriously consider every application that promotes

the Council’s mission of dignity, full rights of citi-zenship, equal opportunities, and full participationfor all New Hampshire citizens with developmentaldisabilities.

EXAMPLES OF PROJECTS:

➤ Getting students with and without disabilitiesinvolved together in extra-curricular commu-nity projects or activities.

➤ Improving access to school or town recreationalactivities, or promoting a new recreational pro-gram designed to include people of all abilities.

➤ Producing a play or musical event includingstudents with and without disabilities in theplanning and performing.

➤ Using education and awareness-raising cam-paigns to change the way other students oradults think about disability.

GETTING HELP WITH YOUR PROJECT

If you think you have a good idea but you can-not find an adult support person, please call us.We may be able to recommend someone in yourcommunity. If you have questions or need assistanceon your application, please contact:

NH Council on Developmental DisabilitiesThe Walker Building

21 South Fruit Street, Suite #22Concord, NH 03301-2451Telephone: (603) 271-3236

Committed To Dignity, Full Rights Of Citizenship,Equal Opportunities, And Full Participation

For All NH Citizens WithDevelopmental Disabilities

Grants for NH TeensBuilding Stronger Communities

NEW HAMPSHIRE COUNCIL ON

DEVELOPMENTALDISABILITIES

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( C o n t i n u e d f r o m p a g e 1 7 )

By the eighth grade a substantial proportion of NewHampshire students with disabilities are far behind theirpeers. Historically, assessment data documents that thisdisparity starts early in their educational career andcontinues through high school. In addition, New Hamp-shire’s high school drop out rate is twice as high for stu-dents with disabilities as for those who do not have dis-abilities. Employment prospects are directly tied to bothgraduation from high school and the quality of educa-tion students receive; without substantial changes,many of New Hampshire’s youth with disabilities willenter adulthood without the basic tools they need to func-tion as independent adults and contributing members oftheir communities.

To learn more, readers can download the full Education PolicyBrief from www.iod.unh.edu.

A synthesis of national longitudinal studies summarizeswhat school is like for students with disabilities andtheir families. The report, National Longitudinal TransitionStudy-2: A Synthesis of Three NLTS2 Reports on Going toSchool, Youth Achievements, and Services and Supports,”presents areas of growth and weakness. The reportwas produced by the National Association of StateDirectors of Special Education as part of the IDEA Prac-tices Workgroup. Here are some highlights of the report.

✧ Students with emotional disturbance often are notgiven the supports to help them meet academicexpectations, and general education teachers aremost likely to say these students are inappropriatelyplaced in their classes. These students are the leastlikely to keep up academically and one-third do not.

✧ Most general education teachers receive some typeof support for having students with disabilities intheir classes. However, only 60 percent of studentswith disabilities have general education teacherswho receive any information about those students’needs, and about half have teachers who receiveinput from special educators about how to meetthese students’ needs.

✧ While the majority of students with disabilities keepup with their non-disabled peers in general educationclasses, they still lag behind when tested in readingand math. The average gap of more than 3 grade

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levels between students’ tested reading and mathabilities and their actual grade levels has not declined.

✧ While students with disabilities who take more oftheir classes in general education settings receivesomewhat lower grades, they are closer to gradelevel in reading and math than those who take themajority of their classes outside the general educa-tion classroom.

✧ Students with disabilities whose parents have highexpectations for their post-secondary educationhave higher grades and score one year closer tograde level on reading and math than studentswhose parents have lower post-secondary educationexpectations.

✧ Parents of 41 percent of students with disabilitiesreport they were able to obtain services with “almostno effort;” while 40 percent went to some or a “greatdeal of effort” to obtain services. Parents of studentswith emotional disturbance and autism spend themost effort obtaining services. Lower income familiesare almost twice as likely to report difficulty obtain-ing services than higher income families. AfricanAmericans report more difficulty obtaining servicesthan white families.

The brief policy analysis can be found at: http://projectforum.org/docs/NLTS2forweb.pdf

In September the Institute on Disability launchedAccess New Hampshire – Living with Disabilityin the Granite State, a series of public policybriefs. The series seeks to help legislators, stateand local agencies, and the broader publicunderstand the extent to which New Hampshire

enables its residents, particularly those with disabilities, to live and participate in their communities. The series willhighlight key issues – education, health care, employment, and community supports – to raise awareness about thebarriers confronting individuals with disabilities. The Institute hopes the series will initiate a statewide conversationabout how to address these challenges and encourage continued research and action to ensure that all New Hampshire’scitizens are included as valued members of their communities.

You can download the full Policy Brief – Educational Supports for Children with Disabilities from the Institute onDisability website at www.iod.unh.edu

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21

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AlliancAlliancAlliancAlliancAlliance fe fe fe fe for Cor Cor Cor Cor Communitommunitommunitommunitommunity Supporty Supporty Supporty Supporty Supportsssss340 Commercial Street, 2nd FloorManchester, New Hampshire 03101(603) 628-7681http://www.allianceforcommunitysupports.com/ACS supports children, teens, and adults who are at risk orhave disabilities to fully participate in their communities.Programs include Youth Leadership Series and Project RE-NEW, a career and education project to assist youth who haveserious emotional or behavioral challenges to finish high school,obtain jobs and enter adulthood in a positive manner.

Disabilities RightDisabilities RightDisabilities RightDisabilities RightDisabilities Rights Cs Cs Cs Cs Centententententerererererhttp://www.drcnh.org/Issue%20Areas/Education.htmThe Disabilities Rights Center’s website has an extensive sec-tion on special education rights.

InsInsInsInsInstituttituttituttituttitute on Disabilite on Disabilite on Disabilite on Disabilite on Disability/UCEDy/UCEDy/UCEDy/UCEDy/UCED56 Old Suncook Road, Suite 2Concord, NH 03301603-228-2084http://iod.unh.edu/The IOD offers professional development, technical assistance,and educational resources to educators, administrators, parents,and students to support the full participation of students withdisabilities in all aspects of typical school life.

New HampshirNew HampshirNew HampshirNew HampshirNew Hampshire Fe Fe Fe Fe Family Vamily Vamily Vamily Vamily Voicoicoicoicoiceseseseses29 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03301(603) 271-4525http://www.nhfv.org/index.htmNHFV assists parents with information and negotiation abouthealth care financing and service issues, and offers supportgroups and information about specific conditions. See theresource guide on the website, “Maneuvering Through the Maze.”

New HampshirNew HampshirNew HampshirNew HampshirNew Hampshire Bre Bre Bre Bre Branch of theanch of theanch of theanch of theanch of theIntIntIntIntInternaernaernaernaernational Dyslexia Astional Dyslexia Astional Dyslexia Astional Dyslexia Astional Dyslexia Associasociasociasociasociationtiontiontiontion

P.O. Box 3724Concord, NH [email protected] http://www.nhida.org/

New HampshirNew HampshirNew HampshirNew HampshirNew Hampshire Ee Ee Ee Ee Educducducducducaaaaation Ltion Ltion Ltion Ltion LawawawawawPO Box 1803, Concord, NH [email protected]://www.nhedlaw.com/Information, training, and resources on education law.

The New HampshirThe New HampshirThe New HampshirThe New HampshirThe New Hampshire Departmente Departmente Departmente Departmente Departmentof Eof Eof Eof Eof Educducducducducaaaaationtiontiontiontion

101 Pleasant Street, Concord, NH 03301(603) 271-3494http://www.ed.state.nh.us/education/The DOE’s website has information on education laws andregulations; complaints, appeals, and decisions; statewidetesting information and scores; adequate yearly progressupdates, and more.

NortheasNortheasNortheasNortheasNortheast Pt Pt Pt Pt PasasasasassagesagesagesagesageHewitt Hall, 4 Library WayDurham, NH 03824603-862-0070TTY – NH Relay 800-735-2964ME Relay 207-955-3323www.nepassage.orgA program of the University of New Hampshire’s DepartmentRecreation Management and Policy, Northeast Passage pro-vides technical assistance to schools to support students withdisabilities in recreational activities.

PPPPParararararent Infent Infent Infent Infent Informaormaormaormaormation Ction Ction Ction Ction CentententententerererererP.O. Box 2405Concord, NH 03302-2405(603) 224-7005 V/TDD(800) 947-7005 (N.H. only)http://www.parentinformationcenter.org/PIC has educational workshops for parents, help in findingresources, and information about education and your rights.

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12 Flynn Street, Lebanon, NH 037661 800 698 [email protected]://www.parenttoparentnh.org/Resources for parents of children with special needs.

22

PEPEPEPEPEAK PAK PAK PAK PAK Parararararent Cent Cent Cent Cent Centententententerererererhttp://www.peakparent.orgThe mission of PEAK Parent Center is to provide training,information, and technical assistance to equip families of childrenbirth through twenty-six including all disability conditions withstrategies to advocate successfully for their children.

SSSSSchool Pchool Pchool Pchool Pchool Partnerartnerartnerartnerartnership Prship Prship Prship Prship ProgrogrogrogrogramamamamamCrotched Mountain, 1 Verney DriveGreenfield, NH 03047800-258-1466603-547-3311, ext. [email protected]://www.crotchedmountain.org/crotchedmountain/html/spp.htmCrotched Mountain partners with school districts throughoutNew Hampshire and neighboring states to support studentswith neurological, genetic, and behavioral conditions, offer-ing evaluation, education, and consultation services.

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29 Commerce Drive, Bedford, NH 03110(603) 206-6800http://www.seresc.net/SERESC provides numerous educational programs and servicesincluding workshops for parents and educators, specialeducation programs, consultations, and the NH Center forEffective Behavioral Interventions and Supports (NH-CEBIS).

NANANANANATIONAL RESOURTIONAL RESOURTIONAL RESOURTIONAL RESOURTIONAL RESOURCES:CES:CES:CES:CES:

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P.O. Box 1492Washington, DC 20013(800) 695-0285 · v/[email protected]://www.nichcy.org/index.htmlSource of information on: disabilities, IDEA, No Child LeftBehind (as it relates to children with disabilities), and re-search-based information on effective educational practices.

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Portland, Oregonhttp://www.rtc.pdx.edu/The RRTC website has lots of good information on promot-ing effective services for families and their children with emo-tional, behavioral, or mental health disorders.

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US Department of Education400 Maryland Avenue, SWWashington, DC 202021-800-872-5327http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/osep/index.html

WWWWWrightrightrightrightrightslawslawslawslawslawhttp://www.wrightslaw.com/Good information about special education law, education law,and advocacy for children with disabilities

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http://www.pacer.org/Parents helping parents to expand opportunities and enhancethe quality of life of children and young adults with disabilitiesand their families

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The Institute on Disability

would like to hear from you,

please take a moment to fill

out their Consumer Survey

on their website at:

http://iodserver.unh.edu/

phpQ/fillsurvey.php?sid=7

23

LifLifLifLifLife as a Pe as a Pe as a Pe as a Pe as a ParararararaprapraprapraprofofofofofesesesesessionalsionalsionalsionalsionalSSSSStrtrtrtrtraaaaatttttegies fegies fegies fegies fegies for Wor Wor Wor Wor Working Working Working Working Working With Sith Sith Sith Sith StudenttudenttudenttudenttudentsssssWWWWWith Challenging Behaith Challenging Behaith Challenging Behaith Challenging Behaith Challenging BehaviorviorviorviorviorsssssJoin Cathy Apfel and other paraprofessional colleaguesfor an in-depth examination of Positive BehavioralInterventions and Supports (PBIS) with an emphasis onclassroom-based approaches. This seminar is offered onseveral different dates. Register early space is limited!

Time: 9:00 am - 3:00 pmRegistration begins at 8:30 am

Cost - $90

Oct. 12, 2006 Highlander Inn, Manchester, NHNov. 13, 2006 Keene State College, Keene, NHNov. 30, 2006 Highlander Inn, Manchester, NHDec. 7, 2006 Holiday Inn, Concord, NHJan. 11, 2007 Highlander Inn, Manchester, NHFeb. 8, 2007 Highlander Inn, Manchester, NHMar. 15, 2007 Highlander Inn, Manchester, NHApr. 5, 2007 Common Man, Plymouth, NHMay 3, 2007 The Highlander Inn, Manchester, NH

FFFFFacilitacilitacilitacilitacilitaaaaattttted Ced Ced Ced Ced Communicommunicommunicommunicommunicaaaaation:tion:tion:tion:tion:IntrIntrIntrIntrIntroducoducoducoducoductttttory Tory Tory Tory Tory TrrrrrainingainingainingainingainingThis workshop for new and beginning level facilitatorsprovides an overview of facilitated communication(FC) and training on basic facilitator skills. Topicsinclude the history of FC, basic elements of the FCtechnique, determining candidacy for FC, and a reviewof current research and best practices. Participants willhave the opportunity to practice facilitator skillsthrough simulated, hands-on activities.

Date: Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2006Time: 9am to 3:30pm,

registration begins at 8:30amLocation: Institute on Disability,

56 Old Suncook Road, Suite2,Concord, NH 03301

Presenter: Pascal Cheng,Howard Community Services,Burlington, VT

Cost: $95

FFFFFall Sall Sall Sall Sall Symposium: Raising Eymposium: Raising Eymposium: Raising Eymposium: Raising Eymposium: Raising Expecxpecxpecxpecxpectttttaaaaationstionstionstionstions Including AL Including AL Including AL Including AL Including ALL ChildrL ChildrL ChildrL ChildrL Children in Een in Een in Een in Een in EducducducducducaaaaationtiontiontiontionWorkshops include:

➤ The Classroom Assistant’s Role in General EducationClassrooms

➤ Fitting Alternate Assessment into Daily TeachingRoutines

➤ Using Resources for Self-directed Secondary Tran-sition

➤ Practical Approaches for Understanding and Sup-porting the Learning Needs of Children with Autismin a Typical Classroom Setting

➤ Positive Supports and Person-Centered Planningfor Young Children

Date: Monday, Oct. 23, 2006

Time: All workshops are from 9am to 3pm;Registration begins at 8:30am

Location: Center of New Hampshire RadissonHotel, Manchester, NH

Cost: $99

UPCUPCUPCUPCUPCOMING INSOMING INSOMING INSOMING INSOMING INSTITUTE ON DIsABILITY TRTITUTE ON DIsABILITY TRTITUTE ON DIsABILITY TRTITUTE ON DIsABILITY TRTITUTE ON DIsABILITY TRAININGAININGAININGAININGAININGS AND ES AND ES AND ES AND ES AND EVENTVENTVENTVENTVENTSSSSS

You are invitedto the

Institute on Disability Open Houseat their Concord Office56 Old Suncook Road

on

Thursday October 26thfrom 12:00 - 6:00 pm.

There will be presentations, door prizes,music, and refreshments.

For more information and directions,visit the IOD website at www.iod.unh.edu

The Latest in Disability Research, Advocacy, Policy, and Practice Fall Issue 2006

N e w H a m p s h i r e

DISABILITIES RIGHTS CENTER, INC.18 Low Avenue, Concord, NH 03301-4971Voice and TDD: (603) 228-0432 1-800-834-1721 FAX: (603) 225-2077TDD access also through NH Relay Service: 1-800-735-2964 (Voice and TDD)E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.drcnh.org“Protection and Advocacy System for New Hampshire”

The Disabilities Rights Center is dedicated to eliminating barriers to the full and equal enjoyment of civil and other legal rights for people with disabilities.

INSTITUTE ON DISABILITY/UCED – UNIVERSITY OF NH10 West Edge Drive, Suite 101, Durham, NH 03824-3522Phone (Tel/TTY): (603) 862-4320 Fax: (603) 862-0555 Website: www.iod.unh.edu

Institute on Disability/UNH – Concord Institute on Disability/UNH – Manchester56 Old Suncook Road, Suite 2 250 Commercial Street, Suite 4107Concord, NH 03301 Manchester, NH 03101Phone (Tel/TTY): (603) 228-2084 Phone: (603) 628-7681

The Institute on Disability advances policies and systems changes, promising practices, education and research that strengthen communities andensure full access, equal opportunities, and participation for all persons.

NH COUNCIL ON DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES21 South Fruit Street, Suite 22, Room 290Concord, NH 03301-2451Phone: (603) 271-3236 TTY/TDD: 1-800-735-2964 Website: www.nhddc.com

Dignity, full rights of citizenship, equal opportunity, and full participation for all New Hampshire citizens with developmental disabilities.

NH COUNCIL ON DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

21 South Fruit Street, Suite 22, Room 290Concord, NH 03301-2451RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

This publication was supported solely by federal funding from grants from the Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health ServicesAdministration; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid-Real Choice System Change; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on DevelopmentalDisabilities and the Health Resources Services Administration; Maternal and Child Health Bureau; Office of Disability Employment Policy; U.S. Department of EducationDepartment of Rehabilitation Services and National Institute on Disability Rehabilitation and Research (NIDRR); US Department of Labor; and the Social SecurityAdministration.

The contents are solely the responsibility of the grantees and do not necessarily represent the official views of the federal grantors.

INSIDE THIS ISSUEPromising Practices inEducation

When you disagree withthe school district

State of the State:Special Education in NH

Personal Stories

RAP Sheet